Indian chieftain. [volume] (Vinita, Indian Territory [Okla.]) 1882-1902, 1887-04-21
CHATTER XIII.


In June, John Earling turned his face
toward the West, climbing the glim-
mering craft-crowded Hudson by boat,
and ever with its svelvct-motioncd prog
ress feasting his eyes upon the palace
crowned activities What regal placcsl
What paradises up where the emerald
sweeps turned back against the violet
gulf Of etherl He felt 1t glorious; yet
often his eyes closed heavily. and with
a sigh he saw again the innumerablc
huts and holes OF hunger that Iestercd
In the by-ways and corners Of the huge
town he had left behind.
At length he left the water for the
rail, and making for the West swerved
toward the South, and with kind Of
mixed delight and misgiving within,
got down from the train at Cincinna-
Il, as he had months before. Then he
had felt a sense OF contamination, a
sorrow wet with polluted blood, which
still burned often across him. diving
away into an unspeakable pity for
Maun's unhallowcd end. Something of
thehorror Of those last daysin Openstone
had been loosened from him, or il were
much rs II the dried blood and tears
upon his memory had been half worn
of by tho thousands of new scenes and
faces that had glanced along his con-
sciousness during those months OF wan
dering. But still by times his fingers
would clinch as he threw il from him
with shudder, and now when he stood
In Celeste's city even her hallowcd
presence in that nightmare period Of
his life brought it rushing over him,
and for moment the thousand NOV
ing hgcres about him were blurred as
In q mist, and only the dead girl lying
IN the water under the hill at Open
stone seemed clear. Yet he shivered
at thought OF her; she that had been
vilel Could he ever forgive that? Even
had he loved her wholly Il had only
been the deadlierl Yet she was inno-
lent innocent through ignorance. he
thought All, what inexpressible treat
ment had been pOrtloned out to herl
Into what an abyss had she been
tripped, and what weak and sputtering
lights were words wherewith 10 de-
ecend into the cavern OF her wrong
and illumine its hideousness!
At length. drawing heedlessly away
from the city's heart, he came into
quieter parts, but stepped In retrospect
ton he noticed 1t but little. lie had
wandered so much about strange
streets In these late months that he had
come, when his thoughts were turned
backward or inward, to regard en-
Vironing objects little more than II he
were Ia 9 room. So he walked on half
thinking that he should presently 90 TO
some hotel, and shRightway falling
farfa h. II. 4.
eyes Of Maun, the black feyerish lights
under the book-keeper's brow and the
sky-like luminous orbs Of Celeste,
seemed glancing about the mental
pinmmots with which he was siraining
to measure how much or little he had
cared In truth for the lost lamented
grl, when suddenly Celeste came into
the street farther up the residence-coy-
cred blum and started down toward
him. Her limplng figure looked slen-
der and fair against the background Of
sky, and when she saw John Earling a
sudden light whiGened across her face.
her hands lifted little as from a thrill
through the heart and she stoppcd.
lie did not see her, aud she turned rs
II 10 go back, then she went on, with
her exquisite cheeks and chin flushing
an almcat invisible pink. and paused
when she met him.
When the young man glanced up,
and from seeing the same eyes within
him behold the living ones dilaiing
with light before him. he started with
a sort Of frightened cry. but quickly
put ont his hand and grasped her ex.
tended one.
You are o long way from Open
stone, Mr.. Earllngl 4 am glad 10 see
you,' she said, with her frank smile
and silvery voice.
All, there was the voice which had
followed him for years. and his
thoughts ran about after words for a
moment confusedly; then he recovered
himself aud said. with the suddenly
stirred blood still mantling bis face;
'Ihsnk youi yes. l come 10 be sick
enod with tho place; some very terrible
ihlngs having occurred On, res. you
BnuInlhff them, Yesl the lesl tImo